Underwater: The Silent Luna novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34

“Tell your woman to watch her tongue when she addresses my wife,” Ethan said, voice low and lethal. “On no grounds is she allowed

to speak to Meadow like that again.”

Joseph stiffened, but Ethan wasn’t done.

He turned to Meadow, his gaze softening just slightly, but still firm.

“And you…” he growled, “Ashley is to greet you first. Not the other way around. Don’t you dare bow to her again,

Meadow nodded quickly, fingers trembling in her lap. His protective rage wrapped around her like a shield, but it also terrified her. This wasn’t the silent, withdrawn Ethan she knew in their room or at the cabin. This was the Alpha he used to be, and it filled the

dining hall like a storm.

Joseph saw Meadow’s fear and clenched his jaw. Ethan meant well, he could see that, but he was overstepping boundaries Joseph

wasn’t comfortable with.

To Joseph, Meadow was temporary. A contract.

Ashley was his future Luna, permanent, cherished, soon-to-be family.

He wouldn’t allow Ethan to tear into Ashley over a woman who would someday be gone.

Breakfast ended in a cloud of tension.

Joseph rose immediately. “Ethan, I need a word.”

Ashley and Meadow excused themselves, leaving the brothers alone. The atmosphere thickened the moment the door closed behind

the women.

Joseph didn’t bother hiding his anger.

“I understand you want to protect her from Mother,” Joseph snapped, “but don’t ever threaten my fiancée like that again.”

Ethan’s face remained blank, but his jaw ticked once.

“I will talk to Ashley, tell her to be respectful to Meadow while she’s here,” Joseph continued, pacing like his wolf was on edge. “But asking Ashley to bow to her? Ethan, that’s extreme. Meadow isn’t your real wife. You haven’t marked her. You don’t scent her. You

don’t even care for her like that.”

Ethan’s wolf snarled inside him, but he stayed still.

Joseph pressed on, voice rising.

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Chapter 34

“Yes, disrespecting her is wrong, I agree, but you took it too far.”

Ethan’s response was ice-cold and measured.

“You are making a mistake with that Ashley girl,” he told his brother. “If she were a good person, she wouldn’t treat Meadow like

trash. A Luna should be kind. She behaved like a bully, arrogant and ignorant.”

Joseph swallowed hard, defensive.

“I might not be interested in Meadow,” Ethan continued, “but she is in my care. And while she is under my roof, no one, not

Mother, not Ashley, will mistreat her. Warn your fiancée.”

Joseph exhaled sharply, rubbing his forehead.

“I’ll warn her,” he conceded. “But Ashley will not bow to a live-in nanny you’ll eventually set free just because you’re trying to buy

time. You can’t expect that of her, Ethan. I won’t allow it.”

The words hit Ethan harder than he expected.

Live-in nanny.

Set free.

Pretend wife.

He tamped down the anger rising in his chest and reminded himself: Joseph didn’t know better. Joseph never understood pain, not

like Ethan did.

Without another word, Ethan turned and wheeled himself out of the room, leaving Joseph alone in the thick silence of the living

room.

As he moved down the hall, the steward’s voice entered his mind through the pack link:

“Alpha Ethan, Meadow’s friend Victoria has arrived.”

Ethan’s shoulders loosened, barely.

Good.

At least Meadow would smile today.

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Underwater: The Silent Luna